Exhaust pipe protector lock

ABSTRACT

For the protection of the outer end portion of an internal combustion engine exhaust pipe, a protector is available which includes a collar secured to the outer end portion of the exhaust pipe hingedly carrying a protective cover formed with a weighted, radially outwardly projecting fin. The cover normally overlies and closes the open outer end of the exhaust pipe to which it is applied but will hingedly move to open position through exhaust gas pressure. This invention provides a lock for securing the cover in its closed position to prevent the undesired introduction of foreign material into the discharge end of the exhaust pipe when the engine is not being operated and the equipment or vehicle embodying the engine is idle and unattended.

United States Patent Foote 1 June6, 1972 [54] EXHAUST PIPE PROTECTORLOCK [72] Inventor: Daniel J. Foote, Milwaukee, Wis.

[73] Assignee: Master Lock Company, Milwaukee, Wis.

[22] Filed: Jan. 25, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 109,201

[52] US. Cl ..70/159, 70/53, 70/180, 70/203, 98/59 [5 I Int. Cl. ..EOSb65/12, B60r 25/04 [58] Field of Search ..70/20, 39, 53, 57, 159, 177,70/180, 240; 98/59; 137/383, 527.6

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,168,066 1/1916 Girardot..70/159 UX 1,944,535 1/1934 White ..70/159 2,983,216 5/1961 Stade etal. ..98/59 3,334,932 8/1967 Buresh ..292/87 Primary Examiner-Albert G.Craig, .lr.

Attorney-Curtis B. Morsell, Sr.

[57] ABSTRACT For the protection of the outer end portion of an internalcombustion engine exhaust pipe, a protector is available which includesa collar secured to the outer end portion of the exhaust pipe hingedlycarrying a protective cover formed with a weighted, radially outwardlyprojecting fin. The cover normally overlies and closes the open outerend of the exhaust pipe to which it is applied but will hingedly move toopen position through exhaust gas pressure. This invention provides alock for securing the cover in its closed position to prevent theundesired introduction of foreign material into the discharge end of theexhaust pipe when the engine is not being operated and the equipment orvehicle embodying the engine is idle and unattended.

10 Claims, 6' Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN e 1912 \NVENTOR DANIEL J FOOTEBY wamwa ,1;

ATTORNE" EXHAUST PIPE PROTECTOR LOCK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While aconventional exhaust pipe protector in the form of a hingedly mountedcover serves its intended purpose and can normally move to and from itsclosing position, if the equipment embodying an internal combustionengine and its exhaust pipe is left unattended with the engine shut offthere is no means, normally, of preventing a vandal or tamperer frommanually opening the protective cover and introducing damaging foreignmaterial into the exhaust pipe. To guard against this undesirablecontingency, the present invention provides a padlock wherein thepadlock body may be adjustably locked onto the legs of a speciallyformed shackle in impinging relation to a weighted fin which projectsradially outwardly from the protective cover and which is interposedbetween and hingedly associated with the projecting straps on the collarwhich surrounds the open outer end of the engine exhaust pipe andsecures the cover in opening and closing relation to the discharge endof said exhaust pipe. The collar straps are also joined by a nutcarrying clamping bolt forwardly of an edge of the collar fin and theshank of said bolt is non-detachably engaged by the curled closed end ofa specially formed padlock shackle. The shackle is positioned so thatits legs extend upwardly on opposite sides of the cover fin. When it isdesired to lock the cover onto the exhaust pipe end the padlock body isadjustably applied to the shackle legs and is locked thereon in aposition of overlying impingment with the top of the cover fin. Thus, ifan unauthorized attempt is made to open the cover it is precluded by theengagement between the cover fin and the padlock body. However, when theequipment is to be used and the engine operated, an authorized personmay unlock the padlock body with the proper key and remove the padlockbody from the shackle legs, eliminating the blocking contact with thecover fin, whereupon said protective cover may automatically open andclose relative to the exhaust pipe in its normal manner.

Applicant is not aware of any prior art pertaining to locks for exhaustpipe protectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A general object of the invention is to providea lock for an exhaust pipe protector which when applied and secured willprevent the exhaust pipe protector from being surreptitiously opened,but which,'when applied, will prevent the protector from being openedrelative to its exhaust pipe end.

A further object of the invention is to provide an exhaust pipeprotector lock which may be applied to a standard exhaust pipe protectorwithout any modification of the latter and which is readily detachableand portable.

Still further objects of the invention are to provide an exhaust pipeprotector lock which is simple in design and construction, easy tomanipulate and apply to or remove from an exhaust pipe protector, whichis strong and durable and relatively inexpensive, and which is otherwisewell adapted for its intended purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing wherein the samereference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all of theviews:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a collar and protective hinged cover assemblageapplied to the outer end of an internal combustion engine exhaust pipe,the cover assemblage being equipped with the improved padlock shown inits secured position with the padlock body adjustably locked onto thepadlock shackle legs and locking the cover in its pipe closing position;

FIG. 2 is a similar view only with the padlock body released and removedand showing the protective cover in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the showing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken approximately on line4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken approximately online 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded front elevational view of the padlock body andshackle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although not limited thereto,the improved lock finds particular utility in connection with theexhaust pipe 10 of the exhaust systems of internal combustion enginesincorporated in tractors, farm equipment, irrigation equipment,compressors, generator units, oil field equipment, and engines of thediesel or propane type.

The mounting collar of an available exhaust system protector isindicated by the numeral 11 and it is clamped around the open outer endportion of the exhaust pipe 10, being formed with a pair of integral butspaced-apart laterally projecting straps 12 which are joined towardtheir inner ends by a transverse bolt 13 carrying a nut 14. When thelatter is tightened the non-displaceable clamping of the collar 11 ontothe outer end portion of the exhaust pipe 10 is effected.

The exhaust system protector also includes a cover 15 of circularcontour adapted to overlie the outer end of the exhaust pipe 10 inopening and closing relation thereto. The attaching plate portion 16' ofa weighted, laterally projecting fin 16 is rigidly secured to a topportion of the cover 15 in a manner so that the fin 16 will beoscillatably interposed between the collar straps 12, being hingedlyjoined thereto by a transverse pin or pintle 17 carrying spacer collars18. The weighted fin 16 is shaped as shown in the drawing and may movefrom the position of FIG. 1 (When the cover 15 is closed) to theapproximate position of FIG. 2 (when the cover is opened).

The available exhaust pipe protector above described and devoid of theimproved lock can automatically move from its closed position of FIG. 1to a degree of opening by the pressure of exhaust gases flowingoutwardly through the exhaust pipe 10 when the engine is operating. Whenclosed, as in FIG. 1, the cover protects the open outer end of theexhaust pipe against the undesired entrance of dirt, sand or otherforeign material. However, equipment which includes the exhaust pipeprotector may be left idle and unattended and it has been found thatvandals and tamperers may surreptitiously manually open the cover 15 andintroduce damaging foreign material into the exhaust pipe 10 of theunattended equipment. The objective of the present invention is toprovide an exhaust pipe protector lock which will forestall thelast-mentioned undesirable contingency. The lock per se, and incombination with the exhaust pipe protector assemblage, will now bedescribed in detail. 7

A padlock body is indicated by the numeral 19 and is of ordinaryconstruction and its internal locking mechanism is adapted to engageselected notches 20 in the inserted legs 21 of a specially formedpadlock shackle 22 when the padlock body is engaged with the shacklelegs in the normal manner. As is best shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 theclosed end of the shackle is curled, as. at 23, with said curled portionnon-displaceably engaging an intermediate portion of the transverse bolt13 which connects the collar straps 12. The shackle legs 21 are slightlyoutwardly bowed and extend upwardly from the curled end 23 on oppositefaces of the fin l6 and thereabove, providing ample room for the engagedpadlock body 19.

The operation and use of the improved exhaust pipe protector lock isobvious. When it is desired to lock the exhaust pipe cover in its closedposition to prevent opening thereof and undesired exposure of and accessto the outer end of the exhaust pipe 10, the padlock body 19 is engagedwith the extended portions of the padlock legs 21 and is pusheddownwardly until the bottom of the padlock body firmly engages and seatson the top of the fin 16, whereupon the internal locking mechanism (notshown) will engage proper shackle leg notches 20. The padlock body 19 isthus locked in adjusted position on the shackle legs 21 in suchengagement with or proximity to the top of the fin 16 that it isimpossible to hingedly move the cover 15 to an open position, wherebythe outer end of the exhaust pipe 10 remains guarded, all as is shown inFIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5.

- When it is desired to operate the equipment with its engine runningand the exhaust pipe cover released for normal hinging movement, theauthorized possessor of the proper key for the padlock can insert it inthe key-hole 24 and turn it to release the body locking mechanism.Thereupon the padlock body may be withdrawn from the padlock body freeof the top of the tin l6 and when gases seek to exhaust from the pipe 10the pressure of the gases will hingedly move the cover to an openposition, as in FIG. 2. When pressure against the cover wanes or ceases,the weight of the cover and its attached fin will hingedly return thecover to its closed, protective position. Also the cover may be manuallyopened.

The improved exhaust pipe protector lock when applied, provides anefiicient means for locking the protector cover in closed relation onits exhaust pipe. When the lock is released the protector cover mayfunction in its normal manner. The

lock besides being easy to apply and operate is compact and portable, ofsimple construction, and well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, an exhaust pipe having a discharge end; a protectorfor the latter including a relatively stationary member and a relativelymovable member for normal movement to and from closing relation to thedischarge end of the exhaust pipe; and a shackle-equipped padlock havingthe outer end portion of its shackle anchored to said relativelystationary member and having its body releasably locked to the shacklein movement blocking relation to said movable member.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the outer end portion ofthe padlock shackle is rockingly curled about a portion of saidrelatively stationary member.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the padlock body may beunlocked relative to the shackle legs and removed therefrom to permitsaid movable member to move to and from the discharge end of the exhaustpipe.

4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the relatively stationarymember of the protector is secured about the discharge end of theexhaust pipe. 7

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein the relatively stationarymember of the protector is formed with a lateral extension to which themovable member is hingedly connected.

6. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein both the stationary andmovable members of the protector are formed with extensions with theextension on the stationary member being hingeclly connected to theextension on the movable member.

7. The combination recited in claim 6 wherein the legs of the padlockshackle straddle the movable member extension.

8. For an exhaust pipe protector which includes a mounting memberapplied to the open end of the exhaust pipe and a cover for the latterhaving an extension hinged to the mounting member, the improvement whichcomprises: a pair of padlock shackle legs secured at their outer endportions to an element of the mounting member; and a padlock bodylockably receiving the other end portions of said shackle legs toposition said body in close adjacency to the cover extension to lock thecover onto the mounting member in closing relation to the open end ofthe exhaust pipe.

9. The exhaust pipe protector lock assemblage recited in claim 8 whereinthe shackle legs are connected at their outer ends and are curled aboutan element of the mounting member to rockingly mount the shackle legs onthe latter.

10. The assemblage recited in claim 9 wherein the mounting member is acollar having a pair of laterally projecting spacedapart straps and theextension on the cover is a fin rockingly interposed between saidstraps, the shackle legs being inwardly of said straps but straddlingsaid fin.

1. In combination, an exhaust pipe having a discharge end; a protectorfor the latter including a relatively stationary member and a relativelymovable member for normal movement to and from closing relation to thedischarge end of the exhaust pipe; and a shackle-equipped padlock havingthe outer end portion of its shackle anchored to said relativelystationary member and having its body releasably locked to the shacklein movement blocking relation to said movable member.
 2. The combinationrecited in claim 1 wherein the outer end portion of the padlock shackleis rockingly curled about a portion of said relatively stationarymember.
 3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the padlock bodymay be unlocked relative to the shackle legs and removed therefrom topermit said movable member to move to and from the discharge end of theexhaust pipe.
 4. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein therelatively stationary member of the protector is secured about thedischarge end of the exhaust pipe.
 5. The combination recited in claim 4wherein the relatively stationary member of the protector is formed witha lateral extension to which the movable member is hingedly connected.6. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein both the stationary andmovable members of the protector are formed with extensions with theextension on the stationary member being hingedly connected to theextension on the movable member.
 7. The combination recited in claim 6wherein the legs of the padlock shackle straddle the movable memberextension.
 8. For an exhaust pipe protector which includes a mountingmember applied to the open end of the exhaust pipe and a cover for thelatter having an extension hinged to the mounting member, theimprovement which comprises: a pair of padlock shackle legs secured attheir outer end portions to an element of the mounting member; and apadlock body lockably receiving the other end portions of said shacklelegs to position said body in close adjacency to the cover extension tolock the cover onto the mounting member in closing relation to the openend of the exhaust pipe.
 9. The exhaust pipe protector lock assemblagerecited in claim 8 wherein the shackle legs are connected at their outerends and are curled about an element of the mounting member to rockinglymount the shackle legs on the latter.
 10. The assemblage recited inclaim 9 wherein the mounting member is a collar having a pair oflaterally projecting spaced-apart straps and the extension on the coveris a fin rockingly interposed between said straps, the shackle legsbeing inwardly of said straps but straddling said fin.